Figure toy



Feb. 10,1925. 1,526,079

E. B. ODENKIRK FIGURE TOY Filed Oct. 6, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedFeb. 10, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSWORTH B. ODENKIBK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FIGURE TOY.

Application filed October a, 1921. Serial No. 505,749.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLSWORTH B. ODEN- KIRK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Figure Toy,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is more particularly concerned with the construction of awheeled toy of attractive form which is adapted to be modified torepresent various figures. An object of my invention is the provision ofa novel, entertaining and educational toy as embodied in one or moremain units representing a partly formed object, together with a group ofother units which are adapted to be interchangeably mounted on the mainunit to form a completed object. The main unit is preferably ofarticulated form, which increases the attractiveness, particularly whenthe toy represents an animal.

Another object is the provision of such a toy in a form which may becheaply manufactured and thereafter packed for shipment in knocked-downform. The purpose of such construction is that in addition to materiallydecreasing the cost of production, I construct a toy which provides anattractive pastime, for achild, in assembling the various parts, and inthereafter moving the completed toy over a floor or other supportingsurface.

In carrying out the above objects, I provide preferably two memberswhich are arranged to be hinged-together so as to form when so hinged,the. truncated body of an object, I provide a set of interchangeablesections which are arranged to be detachably connected to the hingedportions, to complete the object partially represented by the hingedmembers. For example, the hinged members may represent in outline, thetruncated body of a quadruped, and other sections representing the headsand the tail may be shaped and colored to indicate various animals.These various heads and tails then, when attached to the common body,represent thecompleted outlineof ananimal such as a rabbit, dog,hippopotamus and the like.

The means for accomplishing the above objects will be more fullydescribed in the following description which pertains to the drawings,and the essential characteristics of my invention will be summarized inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are elevations of a toy embodying myinvention; Fig. 4; is a plan of such toy; Fig. 5 is a section taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail illustrating the means ofconnecting the body and wheeled supports.

In the various figures, I have shown by invention as embodied inarticulated sections which are arranged when coupled to represent thetruncated body of an animal. This body unit comprises a basis forforming completed units representing various animals by employing othersections shaped to represent the heads and tails of such animals.However, my invention is also adapted for use in representingpractically any figure as will be. hereinafter apparent from thefollowing description.

VVhe-n the object designated is an animal, the body portions may berepresented at 10 and 11, and may be hinged vertically as at 14:. Thefore and hind sections are each provided with a mortise as at 16 and 21for receiving a corresponding tenon in the head and tail sections 20 and25 respectively. In cutting the mortise, the cutting tool may be stoppedso as .to form abutments l7 and 22 respectively, for positioning thehead and tail sections, with relation to the sections 10 and 11. The toyas illustrated embodies a hinged connection in addition to a set ofinterchangeable heads; however, my invention is capable of producingsatisfactory results by making the body in one piece, and

therebyelimmating the hinged connection without dispensing with theinterchangeable sections.

In the various figures, I have shown the section 20 as representingtheheads of different animals. In each case, that portion of the head,which engages the fore section 10, is provided with a tenon whichisexactly complementary to the mortise 16, so that the heads arereplaceable, and are capable of being accurately positioned by means ofthe abutment 17. Similarly, sections 25 which represent the tail of ananimal are constructed so as to be interchangeable, and so as to beaccurately positioned by means of a tenon which engages the stop 22.

I tached to the respective These various joints are in effect elongateddovetail joints, and since the sections 20 and are constructed ofsubstantially the same thickness as the sections 10 and 11, the jointbetween such sections is hardly perceptible.

To enable the toy to be held in un ight position, I provide axles and 31which are shown as fiat pieces of material extending transversely of thesections 10 and 11, and secured thereto as at 12 and 13, respectively.These axles are preferably atsections by means of a dovetailed jointillustrated in Fig, 6, and are secured at the forward end of theportions 12 and 13. This tends to hold the aXles more securely inposition when the toy is being drawn forwardly, I cord 42 attached tothe section 10. lVhile the toy is being drawn across the floor, it maybe swerved to the right or left whereupon the section 11 moves laterallywith relation to section 10 as shown in the broken line in Fig. 4.

While I have explained my invention in connection with a figure havingthe fore and hind portions hinged together, I have also provided anextension piece as shown in Fig.3 so as to vary the length of the figurerepresented as desired. This extension piece is arranged to be hinged tothe fore section by the hinge connection 14 and to the hint section bythe hinge connection 41, as will. be apparent from the illustration. Afea tureof the extension piece 40 is that it may be reversed, top forbottom, and still be capable of satisfactorily joining the sections 10and 11 without affecting. the continuity thereof. This adds to theattractiveness of the toy by producing animals having various shapes.

In marketing. a toy of this character, the various sections may beplaced in one box to. form a group, there being one unit representing abody, and individual sets of units representing heads and tails,Wl'LlGll are replaceable. on the body. The, joints between the varioussections, providefor ease in shipment, inthatthe partsmay be packed fiatwithin a single container, and in addition provide a toy which may bereadily assembled in accordance with the wishes of the user.

Having thus described my invention, elaim-Q 1. A toy comprising incombination, two sections hinged together and forming when b iss d a nicompr s -nshe. Qu line f a truncated body of an animal, a set ofsections;

representing the heads of; various animals, mea s, fordetachably'connecting any one of said headsv to said unit comprising adovetailed joint extending parallel. to the represented figuredetachable axles securedto said units by dovetail; joints and wheelssupportin theaxles wher b thecom leted figure as by means of a may standin an upright position and the constituent elements remain in assembledrelation when moved about on said wheels.

2. A figure toy, comprising in combination a unit having an outlinerepresenting the truncated body of an animal, a plurality of sectionsrepresenting heads and tails of various animals and provided With slideportions extending parallel with the plane of the represented figure,said unit having slideways formed along the ends thereof also extendingparallel with the represented figure, there being an obstruction formedin the slideway to prevent a downward displacement of the attachedmember, whereby anyone of the respective sections may be assembled uponthe unit, transverse supporting members jointed by a dovetailedconnection to, the unit and wheels mounted upon the transverse memberswhereby the assembled members may be placed in an upright position andmoved about without relative displacement of the respective memberscomprising the represented figure.

3. A figure toy, comprising in combination two units, representing thefore and hind quarters of an animal, a set of inter changeable sectionsrepresenting heads of various animals. and a second set ofinterchangeable sect-ions representing tails of various animals, eachsection being provided with a dovetail slide extending parallel with theportion of the figure represented bysaid sections, there beingcorresponding slideways formed in the ends of the units, there beingobstructions formed in the slidevvays to, prevent. relative displacementof the assembled member, transverse, supporting members similarlyprovided with slideways affordinga joint with. the fore and hindquarters of the represented animal, the resulting joints, by thusassembling a selected head ortail member, extending at an acute angle tothe transverse supportingmembers,

and wheels on said supporting members whereby the figures; produced bythe assembling of the various. members may be positioned, upright andmovedv about on the wheels without any resulting displacement of therespective men be-rs, relative to each other;

4, A toy comprising in combination a.

unit hav ng; an outline re n-resenting the run aedcdyt a qeadrupedi i.1- he front feet; consolidated into one foot: and the: hind feetconsolidated i 0; another:

two r n v e; xles reniembly connec ed. o he p c ive consolidated:portions. y i e.- way connections; formed to extend! parallel witlrtherepresented figure andnvheels, supp r ing he. a les, there beingsl-idewans formid inthe fore and hind portions-oft the unit whereby anyone foot,

of; a. group of sections epre nting he heads cit-various animals be detah-a 'ly and 1.ntercliailggeablye con-1 nected to the unit to formfigures representing various animals.

5. A toy comprising in combination a unit formed of a pair ofarticulated members, one of the members representing the forequarter,feet and legs and the other member representing the hind quarter andhind legs and feet, each of said members having a transverse axleremovably connected to the leg portion, there being slideways formed inthe feet of the leg portions for connecting the axles, said slidewaysextending from the fore part of the foot portions rearwardly and theaxles being provided with wheels whereby the toys may be transportablethereon, said slideways terminating intermediate the fore and rear endsof the foot portions whereby displacement of the axles is prevented whenthe toy is moved forwardly on said wheels.

6. A toy comprising in combination two units representing the fore andhind sections of an animal having a hinged connection joining saidsections together, said sections when so hinged representing thetruncated outline of an animal, with the axis of the hinge extendingVertically in the plane of the represented figure, the heads and tailbeing detachably connected to said fore and hind sections respectively,the connection comprising a dovetailed joint extending in the plane ofthe figure for detachably connecting any one of a set of sectionsrepresenting the heads of various animals, or any one of another set ofsections representing the tails thereof to the fore and hind quarters ofsaid sections respectively, axles joined to the fore and hind sectionsand wheels on the axles whereby the represented figures may be portable.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

ELLSXVORTH B. ODENKIRK.

